Glamorgan team at RedR Disaster Relief Challenge

Staff from Capita Symonds’ Glamorgan office took part in the RedR Disaster Relief Challenge at Cuffley Camp Outdoor Centre in Hertfordshire recently.

The original concept of RedR was to create a register of carefully selected and trained engineers who could be called on at short notice to work with front-line relief agencies, either on secondment from their regular employer or as a full time aid relief worker. The charity, which started in the UK, has evolved into an international federation of RedRs that provide a host of specialist training and recruitment services for all the major aid agencies.

Pic: L-R Rhys Hellin, Kirsty Llewellyn, Steven Rusby and Matthew English.

The Disaster Relief Challenge is a unique and exciting 12 hour event where volunteers encounter some of the extreme situations faced by aid workers in the field. Money raised by the event is used to train, recruit and support relief workers in the UK and around the world, improving the quality and coordination of humanitarian responses to natural disaster and conflict.

The team of four - Steven Rusby, Kirsty Llewellyn, Matthew English and Rhys Hellin - experienced an exciting but challenging 12 hour event taking part in tests such as Orienteering, Emergency Scenarios, Obstacle Courses, Problem Solving and Time Trails.

The team, which came first in the Emergency Scenarios and Relay Assault Course sections, finished third out of 13 teams overall. Most importantly, the team successfully raised a grand total of £2000 towards the RedR Disaster Relief Challenge Fund.

Glamorgan team give Maesteg primary school garden a make-over

Garth Primary School at Mission Road in Maesteg has a brand new outdoor stage and sensory garden thanks to green-fingered help from local Capita Symonds volunteers.


The outdoor stage will be used for outdoor plays and concerts over the summer while the garden includes a draft board, sandpit and flower beds with plants and herbs of different smells, textures and tastes.

Fifteen volunteers from Capita Symonds - and a volunteer from construction company Morgan Ashurst - worked with Business In The Community’s Jill Salter on the project.

Although the project was planned over several months, it was carried out over a hectic 12 hour period. Head teacher Julie Thomas, says: “We are all thrilled with the garden and the stage; all the hard work and effort that went into the preparation, planning and organisation was amazing. The results are fantastic.”

Kirsty Llewellyn, a transport graduate from Capita Symonds, was selected as the company’s Team Leader for the work – the first time she’s managed her own project and team.

Liane Sheppard, Director, Capita Symonds said: “We thought it was a good opportunity for a graduate to take on the team leader role. Kirsty has gained valuable experience in management of projects, working very hard behind the scenes with our design engineers on the outdoor stage and garden to ensure that everything was in place for the actual construction. All the Directors at our Glamorgan office took part in the project and enjoyed not having to make the decisions for a day!”

Capita Symonds Director Ian Walsh said: “We actively encourage staff to take part in local community projects. This project was particularly challenging within the timescale but the outcome is worthwhile as the children and school will benefit hugely. The staff also thoroughly enjoyed their involvement in the project.”

“We are always keen to invest as much time and energy into community projects as possible,” says Tom Davies Morgan Ashurst operations manager. “This was a fun challenge to get involved with and we’re thrilled the children will have such a fantastic place to let off some steam in between lessons.”

Special thanks goes to Alun Griffiths Contractors (Wales) Ltd who donated £250, Morgan Ashurst’s supply chain partners Jewsons and WT Burdens which donated materials including paving slabs, concrete and sand, and Costain which donated and delivered all the timber for the stage.

Capita Symonds triumphs at annual Capita Challenge event

Capita Symonds yet again led the field at this year’s Capita Challenge, which took place at Catton Hall, Derbyshire on 08 May.

19 Capita Symonds teams were among 85 teams from across Capita Group Plc, business partners and clients that took part in a range of sponsored physical and mental challenges.

Capita Symonds’ ‘Sticky Bitty II’ (Tom Davies, James Daplyn, Richard Peers, Matt Price) came top of the heap – holding off the challenge of ‘NOW and the Temple of Plumstead’ (Damian Lineham, Michael Brand, John Kinnear, Simon Chittenden) in 3rd and ‘Sticky Bitty’ (Stephen Charters, Jonathan Goring, Russell Nunn, Stuart Ramsay) in 4th.

A fantastic £63,000 was raised by the Capita Challenge for Macmillan Cancer Support, which will go towards the £1 million Capita has pledged to raise during its three year partnership with the charity.

Shopping Centres team up for World Cup charity boost

Ten shopping centres managed by NB Real Estate - part of Capita Symonds - are joining forces to host a series of fun and creative World Cup themed events on behalf of the testicular cancer charity Everyman.

The events, which will be taking place throughout June and July, combine a host of different activities including a ‘Man Crèche’ and 5-a-side football tournament at the Kingdom Centre in Glenrothes; a charity ball evening in Rochdale; and ‘World Cup Widows’ indulgence packages at The Light in Leeds.

As well as increasing awareness for such an important cause, the objective of the Everyman campaign is to raise vital funds for the Everyman Centre in Surrey, Europe’s first and only dedicated male cancer research centre.

The ten centres involved are: Abbeygate Centre (Nuneaton); The Academy (Aberdeen); Chantry Centre (Andover); The Kingdom Centre (Glenrothes); The Light (Leeds); Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre (Rochdale); St Elli Shopping Centre (Llanelli); St Martins Walk (Dorking); White Lion Walk (Guildford); and Windsor Royal Shopping (Windsor).

NB Real Estates' Retail Marketing Manager Anna Bluman says: “The 2010 World Cup presents the retail sector with a huge opportunity to engage with its male customer base. Given the community focus of many of our shopping centres a core cluster will be working closely with the Everyman Charity to help the charity reach this market, hosting a month-long programme of marketing events that tie in with a World Cup theme to raise awareness of testicular cancer.”

Image: Standing (l-r): Lorenzo O'Reilly (Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre, Rochdale), Jim Gordon (Divisional Director NB Real Estate), Brian Oakley (The Light, Leeds), John Macfarlane (Academy Shopping Centre, Aberdeen), Robert Winter (Kingdom Shopping Centre, Glenrothes). Sitting (l-r): Christopher Borton (Director Retail Management, NB Real Estate), Anna Bluman (Retail Marketing Manager, NB Real Estate).